Strike and interceptor aircraft operating in a hostile environment need a wide variety of increasingly sophisticated devices to assure their survival. Air or ground launched radar or infrared guided rocket propelled missiles can take a fearsome toll if their presence is not detected soon enough. When an early enough detection of these incoming missiles positively can be made, evasive action, flares, electronic counter measures, etc. can and greatly do reduce their effectiveness.
Early warning systems that detect UV from the missile plume require large area, wide field of view detectors. In addition to the need for being highly reliable and compact in size it is highly desirable that the detectors be sensitive in the region of the missile plumes+ UV radiation, from 230 to 280 nanometers, to reduce false alarms. Contemporary filters that use absorption type materials are expensive since they require large single crystals of nickel sulphate or the like. In addition, the solar-blind photomultiplier tubes that have been used with the large crystals also are expensive. As a consequence, technology and funding constraints may limit aircraft from having an appropriate detector in some high technology combat zones.
Thus, a continuing need exists in the state of the art for a large area, wide field of view detector of the UV radiation in a missile plume to assure the timely warning of an incoming missile.